Here's one of the most underrated of the fifties' sci-fi/horror films. This is also an example of not being able to please the public, no matter what you do. The film actually takes time to develop its characters, yet reviews complain that it's slow. The relationship between the father and his daughter is genuinely moving. There's a tragic grandeur over the whole film. And it's also very scary. The scene in which Coleen Gray flees down the streets (shot in Culver City) are genuinely horrifying. Dabbs Greer, that venerable character actor, acquits the role of Dr. Will Beaumont, the lead's friend, with style and good humor. There's so much to this movie that has never been properly recognized. Recently screened at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, with Coleen Gray in attendance, it drew enthusiastic responses from those who saw it. A gem long and perhaps forever unrecognized.
Review of The Vampire
